Latin American and Caribbean Public Debt Management Specialists Group (2023). Latin America and the Caribbean Standardized Public Debt Database: Data as of June 2022. IDB Open Data. https://doi.org/10.60966/dt6q-s696

1. English

What is this dataset?

The Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) Public Debt Database — June 2022 Edition compiles standardized and comparable data on sovereign debt across 26 countries in the region.
Developed by the LAC Debt Group in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), it serves as the authoritative public debt database for analyzing government debt in Latin America (2022) and supporting fiscal transparency across the region.

What is the purpose of this database?

The LAC Debt Group launched this initiative to strengthen regional fiscal policy and debt management through consistent, comparable, and transparent data.
It helps policymakers, researchers, and financial analysts evaluate the composition and evolution of public debt in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and conduct cross-country comparisons.

What time period does the dataset cover?

The dataset includes biannual data from 2006 through June 2022, providing a 16-year historical view of public debt trends across the region.

What information does the dataset include?

The database includes detailed indicators classified by: - Legislation: Domestic or external debt
- Creditor type: Official, multilateral, or commercial
- Currency composition: Domestic vs. foreign
- Maturity structure: Short-, medium-, and long-term
- Debt instruments: Bonds, loans, and other instruments

Each record corresponds to official data reported by a country’s Debt Management Office (DMO).

Which countries are included?

The 2022 I Public Debt Database covers 26 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean:

Latin America:
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

Caribbean:
Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago

How is the data collected and standardized?

Each participating Debt Management Office reports sovereign debt information using a standardized questionnaire designed by the LAC Debt Group.
This ensures that the data follow clear, objective, and homogeneous definitions, allowing for consistent cross-country and time-series comparisons.

Where can I find other editions of the Public Debt Database?

The LAC Debt Group’s Public Debt Database is released biannually, providing comparable and standardized data on sovereign debt across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Each edition reflects the latest information reported by participating countries and allows users to track the evolution of Latin American government debt over time.

Below are links to all available editions on the IDB Open Data Portal:

• December 2023 Edition — Latin America and the Caribbean Public Debt Database (Dec 2023)
  Contains biannual data through December 2023.

• June 2023 Edition — Latin America and the Caribbean Public Debt Database (Jun 2023)
  Covers data through June 2023.

• June 2022 Edition — Latin America and the Caribbean Public Debt Database (Jun 2022)
  Includes data through June 2022.

• December 2021 Edition — Latin America and the Caribbean Public Debt Database (Dec 2021)
  Provides data through December 2021.

• December 2020 Edition — Latin America and the Caribbean Public Debt Database (Dec 2020)
  Covers data through December 2020.

• December 2019 Edition — Latin America and the Caribbean Public Debt Database (Dec 2019)
  Contains data through December 2019.

• June 2019 Edition — Latin America and the Caribbean Public Debt Database (Jun 2019)
  Includes data through June 2019.

Each release maintains a consistent structure, methodology, and variable definitions, ensuring comparability across editions.
Researchers can combine multiple editions to construct a continuous time series of public debt data and evaluate trends in Latin American government debt.

What are the dataset’s main uses?

The public debt database supports: - Analysis of Latin America government debt (2022) by type, currency, and maturity
- Comparative studies of debt sustainability and structure across countries
- Fiscal and macroeconomic policy design based on standardized regional data
- Transparency and accountability in debt reporting

What are the dataset’s limitations?

• Reporting coverage may vary depending on the data provided by each country’s DMO.
• Subnational and private debt are not included.
• Data revisions occur periodically as new information becomes available.

What supporting materials are included?

The dataset package includes:
- Excel files with detailed country-level debt indicators
- Metadata and methodological documentation
- A PDF guide describing definitions, sources, and classification methods

Does the database provide national debt statistics by country?

Yes. This IDB dataset provides country-level sovereign debt data for 26 LAC nations, disaggregated by legislation (internal vs. external) and creditor type, and by maturity.

How is public debt calculated for international databases?

In this dataset, debt is standardized using definitions agreed upon by the LAC Debt Group. It distinguishes among gross debt of central governments, gross debt of central banks, and total public debt.

How relevant are the public debt databases for emerging markets and developing economies?

Yes. This IDB dataset is a key source for emerging markets in Latin America and the Caribbean.

How suitable are the public debt databases for academic research and citations?

This IDB dataset is designed for comparability and transparency, making it suitable for academic research on sovereign debt in LAC.

Are these free public debt data sources accessible to financial journalists?

Yes. The dataset is open access via the IDB Open Data Catalog.